1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for cleaning an image bearer used in an image forming apparatus, such as an electronic photograhing apparatus, which develops a latent image on the image bearer by means of a developer. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for removing the developer remaining on the image bearer after a transfer operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In electronic photographing apparatuses, for example, a toner image formed on the surface of an image bearer (hereinafter referred to also as a photosensitive body) is transferred to the surface of transfer paper, and then deposited and fixed on the transfer paper by a fixing unit. After the transfer of the toner image, a small quantity of toner still remains on the surface of the photosensitive body. The residual toner, which would adversely influence subsequent copying operations, needs to be thoroughly removed from the photosensitive body. In generaly, therefore, electronic photographing apparatuses are provided with a cleaning apparatus for remving the residual toner.
In a prior art cleaning apparatus shown in FIG. 1, residual toner T is scraped from the surface of a photosensitive body 2 by pressing a blade 1 against the photosensitive body surface. Scraped toner T is conveyed along a recovery blade 3 to reach a spiral auger 4 for its recovery. As auger 4 is rotated, toner T is carried into an external toner box (not shown).
When using this type of cleaning apparatus, however, the mobility of toner T may greatly change with variations of circumstances or the like, sometimes causing toner T to accumulate in bulk between recovery blade 3 and sprial auger 4. If the accumulated toner T comes into contact with the surface of photosensitive body 2, as shown in FIG. 1, it slips between blade 1 and photosensitive body 2 when blade 1 leaves photosensitive body 2, thus exerting an adverse influence upon the next copying cycle. In other words, toner T is continually deposited on the surface of photosensitive body 2, so that it will cause filming and various other troubles. Moreover, the accumulated toner T may overflow from both ends of the cleaning apparatus into the electronic photographing apparatus, thereby soiling the interior of the photographing apparatus.